Aeroflot flight 2002
Aeroflot Flight 2002 (ICAO: AFL2002/IATA: SU2002) was a regularly operated flight by Aeroflot on behalf of Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta, Indonesia to St. Petersburg, Russia, with stopovers in Xiamen, China, Beijing, China and Ulaanbatar, Mongolia using an Ilyushin Il-86 (Jakarta-Xiamen) a Boeing 787 (Xiamen-Beijing), an Airbus A320 (Beijing-Ulaanbatar) and a Boeing 737 MAX (Ulaanbatar-St. Petersburg) On March 15, 2019, an Ilyushin Il-86 operating this flight (named Spirit of the Russians) carrying 320 passengers and 15 crew members slammed into Mountain Zaiwei minutes from landing in Xiamen City Airport. All 335 passengers and crew members were killed. It is currently the deadliest Chinese aviation disaster, as well as the Ilyushin Il-86's first and deadliest fatal plane crash. An investigation soon found out the cause was a CFIT, due to severe weather and pilot error. Aircraft and Crew The airliner operating this flight (Jakarta-Xiamen) was an Ilyushin Il-86, first operated by Aeroflot in 1979. The plane was then given to Adios Airlines (1980-1985), S7 Airlines (1986-1998), the Russian Air Force (1999-2010) and was given back to Aeroflot in 2011. The livery of the aircraft at the time was the retro Aeroflot livery. In command of the flight was Captain James Butch W. Seneval (age 45), Co-Pilot David Joanna C. Verdun (age 36) and Flight Engineer Markus Bravenson D. Carmina (age 32). Captain Seneval first flew for Adam Air in 1999-2005, then flew for S7 Airlines from 2006-2011, and joined Aeroflot in 2012. He had a total of 12,000 flight hours, 9,000 of which are in the Il-86. Co-Pilot Verdun joined Aeroflot in 2008. He had a total of 7,000 flight hours, 3,000 of which are in the Il-86. Flight Engineer Carmina meanwhile joined Aeroflot in 2012. He has 5,000 flight hours, of which just 900 are in the Il-86. Passengers The majority of the passengers were Russians going back to Russia after a business trip with famed company Accolade Airlines. The former CEO, Kevin Michael Dannison was also on board this aircraft. The others were from America, as well as Egypt, China, Mongolia, Germany, The Philippines and Japan. Russian tourists also boarded this plane. Passengers and Crew Russia: 75 (41=the business trip, 27 are travellers, rest are crew) America: 12 Egypt: 70 The Philippines: 13 Germany: 29 Mongolia: 20 China: 9 Accident At 07:25:65 (Indonesian Standard Time), the plane took-off from Jakarta for the first stop-over in Xiamen. Midway through the flight, the crew was warned of a possible typhoon hitting the city. The crew decided to heed the warning and wait out the storm. As the Il-86 continuously circled the area, the tower reported clear skies and the plane descended to assigned altitude of 2,500ft. However, minutes later the storm came back, with fiercer winds and stronger rain than the original landfall. At this point though, the ATC cleared the aircraft for landing. At 11:34:12 (China Standard Time), the plane descended into 700ft., unknowingly sending the plane into the mountains. Seconds later (about 15), the GPWS alarm signalled. The crew realised this and tried to climb back to safety, but it was too late. The plane slammed into the mountain at 520mph, killing all on board instantly. Investigation CVR Recording (in standard phaseology for pilots, with additional required info added) Translated by racist.xyz/translate, Translator:SY, Order:10237623 AFL2002: Aeroflot 2002 wih you, FL300 inbound KIMEW. Kinmen Centre: Aeroflot 2002, Kinmen Centre, good morning. Readibility 5 by 5. A: Requesting descent to 9000, Aeroflot 2002. K: Aeroflot 2002, standby (10 minutes later) K: Aeroflot 2002, enter published hold at KIMEW due to weather. A: We would like to descend please, Aeroflot 2002. K: Aeroflot 2002, you can also hold over Xiamen. Descend and maintain FL100, proceed direct LIROR. A: OK, we will hold over Xiamen. Descend and maintain FL100, direct LIROR, Aeroflot 2002. K: Aeroflot 2002, contact Xiamen Director, frequency 126.72 A: Over to Xiamen Director 26.72, Aeroflot 2002 A: Aeroflot 2002 with you, passing FL286 for FL100, inbound LIROR. Xiamen Director: Aeroflot 2002, good morning. Descend and maintain 6000 on FENG4R STAR. Typhoon is clear of airport. A: Descend and maintain 6000, Aeroflot 2002 of AFL2002 perform descent checklist ATC is heard commenting on severe weather X: Aeroflot 2002, severe windshear reported ahead. Climb and maintain FL100, hold over FENGY, 5nm right turns. of text could not be translated due to the following reason: Recording couldn't be understood in aviation terms CVR Recording This is the recording of SU2002. Aeroflot 2002: Aeroflot 2002, checking in with Kinmen airspace, over. Kinmen Tower: We hear you loud and clear, Aeroflot 2002. Welcome to Kinmen airspace. Aeroflot 2002: Aeroflot 2002, ah we need to descend now since we are going to arrive in Xiamen in 30 minutes, are we clear for descent to 9,000 feet. Kinmen Tower: OK, standby, I will contact you. Aeroflot 2002: Roger that, we will wait. (10 minutes later) Aeroflot 2002: So what now, Kinmen Tower? Kinmen Tower: Aeroflot 2002, you may want to circle Taiwanese airspace for a while now, we have received reports from China that there is a typhoon in your path, you may want to stay clear, over. Aeroflot 2002: Okay, what will we do now? Kinmen Tower: Did you not understand what I said, Aeroflot? You're supposed to circle the airspace. Either that or circle Xiamen in 10,000 feet. What would you do, Aeroflot? Former or latter? Aeroflot 2002: We will choose the latter, we will switch to Xiamen frequency. Kinmen Tower: Alright, Aeroflot 2002, frequency code is XMN. Aeroflot 2002: Alright, sir. Kinmen: Thank you. (This is the last communication between Taiwan and SU2002. The next few will be from Mainland China.) SU2002: Checking in to Xiamen, this is SU2002. Xiamen: Xiamen tower, we have you checked in, welcome SU2002. SU2002: Roger, we are inside airspace, thank you. Xiamen: So anything important, sir? SU2002: Tower, we need vectors to Xiamen Airport, is the storm still there? Xiamen: No, the storm has left, you may begin descend to 6,000 feet. SU2002: Alright, we will do that. Captain: Okay, co-pilot, lets begin descent! Co-pilot: Oh finally! Co-pilot: Alright, engineer, begin the checklist. (The next few minutes would be the checklist reading) Engineer: Checklist complete, beginning descent. Captain: Roger that. Xiamen: What the ****? The storm's back! AND NOW IT'S EVEN STRONGER! (This message wasn't heard by SU2002 due to radio heterodyne) Xiamen: SU2002, stop your descent! Climb back to 10,000 feet, lest you slam into the mountains! (Also was not heard) SU2002: Huh? Xiamen: SU2002, STOP! (Wasn't heard as well) Captain: There seems to be a problem, engineer. FE: With what? Captain: The radio, it's not giving us any messages. C-P: WHAT? NOT AGAIN! CAPTAIN! LOOK! STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING! Capt.: Okay but why...WHAT THE ****! FE: The storm's back! AND IT'S STRONGER! Capt.: Damn! That storm's back, but we don't know how to find our way to XMN. FE: Perhaps climb now! Capt.: We just passed decision height! FE: Damn! Capt.: Just wing it! Find us the radar to XMN. C-P: Alright! Xiamen: SU2002, the storm is back! STOP DESCENDING! CLIMB NOW! YOU'RE DISORIENTED! SU2002: What do you mean "disoriented"? We're flying in the right track! Xiamen: Ugh, fine. SU2002, descend to 900 feet, prepare for short final. SU2002: Roger, roger. Xiamen: Okay, thank you. (This is the last communication between tower and SU2002. The rest of it is in the cockpit.) Capt.: Finally, we have to arrive at this point! C-P: Yes, but the storm's still there! Capt.: I know, but we can't reject the vector, we just accepted it! FE: Alright have it your way! (GPWS alarm sound starts playing) Capt.: WHAT THE ****? FE: I TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING TO HIT SOMETHING, PULL UP! Capt.: I'M TRYING! C-P: NOW! PULL UP! Capt.: BRACE, BRACE, OH GOD THIS IS IT! C-P: XIAMEN TOWER, GOODBYE! (Impact heard) Investigation The investigation was done by the following countries: * Aeroflot as the airline, * Russia as the home country of the airline and aircraft, * China as the representative for Xiamen Airport * USA as the representative for Accolade Airlines * Egypt as the representative of the crew and * Indonesia as the representative of the origin airport. Final Report The final report was finished in December 12, 2019 by seasoned investigators Martinez Champion of the FAA and Kim Song Yu of CAAC, which concluded the crash was caused by the following: * ATC error, as they allowed the plane to descend even during the storm * Pilot error, as the captain did not pull up until it was too late * Severe weather Category:50+ Fatalities Category:Accident Category:Worst of the Year